Blanket-harness



' (MMM') J. GRIM.

I BLANKET HARNESS. No. 426,722. Patented Apr. 29, 1890 W/TNESSES A TZ'OBNE Y8 "m: warns PETERS co., PNDIO-LITNO, vusumavau, n. c.

UNITED STATES JOHN GRIM, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

BLANKET-HARNESS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 426,722, dated April 29, 1890. Application filed October 24, 1889. Serial No. 328,015. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that, I JOHN GRIM, of Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Blanket-Harness, of which the following is a full, clear, and eX- act description.

My invention relates to an improvement in blanket stays or harness, and has for its object to provide a means whereby the blanket may be securely held upon a horse, especially such blankets as are used in the stable, and wherein the blanket may be worn with comfort, and when placed in position cannot be disarranged by any movement of the animal.

The invention consists in the novel construction and combination of the several parts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth, and pointed out-in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar letters and figures of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views. I

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the harness, illustrating its application to a horse, the blanket being partially broken away. Fig. 2 is a perspectiy e view of the harness detached from the blanket, and Fig. 3 is a front view of the hip-straps of the harness.

In carrying out the invention the saddle 10 is constructed, preferably, of a single piece of soft leather of suitable stiffness, which saddle is curved to fit the back of the animal near the crupper. Upon the upper face of the saddle two parallel billets 11 and 12 are longitudinally attached, the forward billet 11 being made to pass through a short strap to form a loop 13, as best shown in Fig. 2. The forward billet is rigidly secured to the saddle and the rear billet is capable of lateral movement thereon.

At each side of the saddle the extremities of a hip-strap 14 are secured to the billets 11 and 12 through the medium of buckles or similar retaining devices, whereby the said hip-straps are made to partake of a loop form, and each hip-strap is provided between its bow portion and its extremities with a sliding cross-strap 15, limited in its downward movement by stops 16, secured to the outer faces of the hip-straps, as is bestillustrated in Figs. 1 and 2. These cross-straps, which serve to regulate the width of the loops, contact with the outer upper portion of the animals hips when the blanket is placed in position. Upon the inner surface of the bow portion of each hip-strap, or that portion adapted to lie in the crotch, a pad 17 is secured, purposed to prevent chafing, and the bow portion of each of the two hip-straps is connected by a slide 18 and straps l9'and 20, passing through the slide, one of said connecting-straps being secured to each hip-strap at the crotch portion, as best shown in Fig. 3. In attaching these connecting-straps their upper ends are sewed, riveted, or otherwise fastened to the hip-straps, and, after passing through the slide, are carried beneath loops 21, their lower ends being made to contact with buckles fastened to the hip-straps, which buckles are preferably so located as to lie well up upon the hips of the animal. It will thus be observed that by disconnecting either one of the connecting-straps from the hip-straps the latter may be separated. By reason of the compensating attachment of the two hipstraps, as above described, and the loose connection of the rear portion of said straps with the saddle, the animal is not in the least incommoded by the harness when walking, since the hip straps automatically adjust themselves to each and every movement.

The back-straps 22 are attached to the forward portion of the saddle 10 at each side of its center, the said straps being each made, preferably, in three sectionsnamely, a rear adjustable leather section a, an intermediate web sect-ion a, and a forward billet section a Each of the billet sections a is provided with a buckle 23.

The harness is attached to the blanket 24 in the following manner: A tie-strap 25 is passed through the loop 13, which tie-strap contacts with the inner face of the blanket near its rear end, and is secured to said blanket in any suitable or approved manner, preferably through the medium of a ribbon 26, as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2. The billet ends of of each back-strap 22 are secured to the forward end of the blanket, one at each side of the center of the latter, the said billets being made to lap over the outside of the blanket, as shown in Fig. 1, and their inner and outer faces are tied together, the blanket resting between them, through the medium of a rivet 27, bolt, or other equivalent device.

To place the blanket upon the horse, the forward member of each hip-strap is disconnected from the saddle-billet 11 and withdrawn from contact with its cross-strap 15. The blanket and harness having been thrown upon the horse so that the saddle will rest upon the back of the animal at the crupper and the back-straps at each side of the back, the loose ends of the back-straps are drawn forward beneath the crotch of the animal, passed through the loop end of the crossstraps 15, from which they Were disconnected, and again secured to the billet 11. The rear portion of the harness will then sit upon the animal, as illustrated in Fig. 1, the attachment of the blanket to the animal being completed by passing the ends of a breast-strap 28 through the buckles 23, secured to the forward billet extremities of the back-straps, thereby connecting the opposite sides of the blanket at the front.

It is obvious that this harness may be secured quickly and conveniently to any blanket, and may be as speedily and readily detached therefrom when occasion may demand.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. Ablanket-harness consisting in a saddle portion provided with devices for securing a blanket, hip-straps 14, secured at both ends to the saddle. their looped lower ends being adapted to receive the upper parts of the animals hind legs, and back'straps 22, extending forwardly from the saddle to the breast and provided at their forward or breast ends with blanket-securing devices, substantially as set forth.

2. In a harness for the purpose described, the combination, with a saddle, billets secured to the same, one of which is adjustable, and hip-straps secured to the extremities of said billets capable of assuming a loop form, of connecting-straps and a slide uniting the hipstraps, and back-straps secured to the forward portion of the saddle, provided with billets at their outer ends capable of clamping the blanket, substantially as shown and described.

3. In a harness for the purpose described, the combination, with a saddle, billets secured to the same, one of which is adjustable, and hip-straps secured to the extremities of said billets capable of assuming a loop form, of connecting-straps and a slide uniting the hipstraps, and back-straps secured to the forward portion of the saddle, provided with billets at their outer ends capable of clamping the blanket, a breast-strap connecting the billets of the back-straps, and a tie-strap connected with one of the billets of the saddle adapted for attachment to the blanket, sub stantially as shown and described.

JOHN GRIM.

Witnesses:

JOSEPH GRIM, J12, CHAS. W. MILLER. 

